Monday, June 20, 2005

This is my Father's world,and to my listening earsall nature sings, and round me ringsthe music of the spheres.This is my Father's world:I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees,of skies and seas;his hand the wonders wrought.2. This is my Father's world,the birds their carols raise,the morning light, the lily white,declare their maker's praise.This is my Father's world:he shines in all that's fair;in the rustling grass I hear him pass;he speaks to me everywhere.3. This is my Father's world.O let me ne'er forgetthat though the wrong seems oft so strong,God is the ruler yet!ThisIs my Father's world:why should my heart be sad?The Lord Is King;let the heavens ring!God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Perseverance in Days GoneByMy eight-year-old son Graham and I are in Virginia this week where I'll be speaking at the Virginia Homeschool Conference in Richmond. We came a day early to tour battlefields and museums. Yesterday it was Cold Harbor and Gaines Mill, today it's the Museum of the Confederacy, the Confederate White House, and the Tredegar Iron Works.

Whenever I visit battlefields in the heat of summer, it strikes me how difficult life was for those soldiers--severe weather, disgustingly unsanitary camps and trenches, lack of proper food and water, terrifying battlefield conditions.

Yet officers and soldiers on both sides exhibited enormous levels of dedication and perseverance in fighting for their cause.

Do We Have What it Takes to Stick With It?

Perseverance is a character quality in short supply today. I'm sure you struggle as I do when it comes to doing the right thing without giving up. We could probably think of a hundred examples in church, business and society of how we tend to take it easy--to give up, to move on, to rationalize about why "sticking to it" just doesn't matter.

The Bible has much to offer when it comes to inspiring asense of perseverance in ourselves and others. Tonight myson Graham and I read our devotions out of Second Timothy--my favorite book of the Bible. Second Timothy is Paul's final letter to the young man in whom he had invested so much. In Chapter three he gives three insights about how we can persevere and train others to persevere.

1. Paul set the example.

Paul says, "But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love and endurance" (v. 10). "Watch me," he says in essence. I must face the fact that my children--and other young people I influence--will rarely be able to muster more perseverance than I myself can muster.

At Cold Harbor, Confederate General Robert E. Lee said, "Richmond must not be given up; it shall not be given up."It was that simple--"We will persevere to the very end." He set the pace for everyone else.

2. Paul inoculated Timothy to giving up.

Paul says, "In fact, all those who want to live a godly life will be persecuted" (v. 12). Hardship comes with the territory.

Yesterday as we prepared for this trip it seemed that everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The electricity went out. The computer system went down. Books for the conference didn't arrive. Having just returned from out of the country, I faced stacks of letters, e-mails and phone calls but no time to get back to people. Discouragement was setting in.

I told our team, "If there is anything I've learned in this business, it's that the attacks are always proportionate to the impact that Satan knows we're going to have." We prayed together and immediately set our faces toward persevering through the difficulties.

We still struggle with each incident, of course, but we're learning to see hardship as a God-ordained alert system to dig in.

3. Paul clarified the vision.

Paul says, "All Scripture is inspired by God...so that the man of God may be complete..." (v. 16). This seems to be a reference to pulling up the anchor and raising the sail. In other words, "We're on a mission, we have a destination, and we have a Compass. Let's go!"

Today as we explored one of the remote battlefield areas, we came across a monument to an Alabama soldier who bore his regiment's colors as they broke through the Union line. Abullet hit and broke his right arm, so he switched the flag to his left arm. His left arm was then pierced by a bullet, as were both of his legs. As he fell, a comrade began to take the colors from him, but the young man cried out, "I can still walk--strap the colors to my body!" This young man was determined to carry out his mission, regardless of the cost.

I seriously doubt that such injuries would have inspired him to persevere in less vision-driven situations. If the soldier's wife had asked him to do some household project, he probably would have let those injuries keep him laid up for weeks. But in an unprecedented trial, with a heartfelt cause, he found it in himself to persevere.

The character quality of perseverance isn't usually observed in isolation--it occurs in the context of a vision that is worth fighting for. A Generation that Won't Give In"Never, never given in," said Winston Churchill. Let's takethe three steps above to prepare ourselves to set a godlyexample of perseverance for others--and to call out a highlevel of determination in those who will be the nextgeneration of leaders!

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

To keep your friendshipsbrimming, With love in the loving cup, Whenever you're wrong, admit it; Whenever you're right, shut up.-Ogden Nash, author(1902-1971)This was a little bit different than I have written it out, but it hit home when I read and I thought about friends. I changed one word.:)

from Hamlet- Doubt thou that the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar;But never doubt my love.I really liked this when I read it a few weeks ago.